Minutes, Hours, and Forever
by Azuno-Arika-Chan
Summary: After Haruka's stroke, he managed to recover, only for Shintarou to take Ayano's place atop the roof. After expelling the snakes from everyone's bodies, he manages to regain his ability to walk, and the first place he decides to go is the graveyard. -Trigger Warning: Suicide- -Death of Major Character- -Ayashin- -Takeharu (Implied)- -2 shot-
1. Chapter 1

"Hello there mister!"

Haruka bent down, not surprised to find that the girl was transparent. He was standing in a graveyard after all.

"Hi there,"He smiled at the young girl before him. "If you don't mind me asking, have you seen a boy named Shintarou around here? He has black hair and red eyes. Should be wearing a red jacket."

"Oh. Sometimes I see him by his gravestone at night. He's not really strong, so he can't appear during the day."

"Well, will you sit with me until he does show up? It's really important that I see him."

"Sure!"

They sat down on a nearby bench, Haruka removing his sketchbook from his bag and pulling his pencil from the spiral holding it together. The girl swung her legs back and forth next to him.

"Hey, what's you're name?"

"I'm Hiyori!"

"Well, it's nice to meet you. I'm Haruka,"He turned to an empty page, then looked up at her. "Would you mind if I drew you, Hiyori?"

"Really? Go ahead!"She smiled, continuing to swing her legs.

"This'll be great for our video game,"He began sketching her face, mapping out her body before he gave any real detail to the picture.

"Game?"

"Yeah."He began drawing her eyes. "It's a sort of memorial to the people we've lost. Ayano's mom, Shintarou..."

He paused, adding detail to her iris. She leaned over to look at his drawing, eyes gleaming at the sight.

"Mister?"

"Yes?"

"Can I be part of the game too?"

"Oh..."He glanced up, the tip of his pencil breaking. "Of course, Hiyori."

They were silent for a moment, the sun settling on the horizon. Haruka finished his drawing just as the streetlight above them clicked on. Hiyori stood up and turned to face him, her dress spinning around her.

"Your friend should be here soon, mister. I've gotta get back to my grave and wait for my mommy."

"I guess I'll be seeing you then,"Haruka waved.

"Bye bye!"She waved and began running away.

He saw a few minutes later that she really had run to see her mom. Haruka knew very well that her mother couldn't see her, but by some miracle, maybe she could hear her daughter. He smiled and waved when the lady glanced over, then stood, putting his book back in his bag and making his way to Shintarou's grave.

Shintarou was there, just as Hiyori had said, sitting atop his own gravestone. He grinned, seeing Haruka approaching.

"Hey."

Haruka began digging through his bag before saying anything to Shintarou. Out came a bundle of letters, all in colorful envelopes and labled 'To Shintarou' in many different types of handwriting. Haruka handed them to Shintarou.

"These are from everyone. Read them, please."

"Oh,"He untied the string around them. "Okay."

For ten minutes, Haruka sat, his back against the gravestone, listening to the boy behind him make noises varying from sobs to laughs to thank yous.

"Wow."

"I found your suicide note that day,"Haruka spoke suddenly as Shintarou folded up the last letter. "Thank you."

"It was worth it,"Shintarou said, wiping his eyes. "Saving all of you, I mean."

"How'd you know it would work?"

"I didn't. When I was sitting there, I didn't know if my death would change anything or not. It was a hunch, and if it didn't do anything, it didn't."

"I'm just glad that hunch was right,"Haruka looked up. "You know we beat him, right?"

"Yeah, I got to watch that much,"Shintarou replied. "They were merciful enough."

"Not to us."

"Yeah. Not to you guys."

They sat in silence for a minute, before Shintarou handed the notes back to Haruka. The latter looked up, confused at his friend's gesture.

"I can't take them with me when I go."

"Why not?"

Shintarou laughed, glancing to the sky.

"It doesn't matter. What they said is enough. I don't think I could forget if I tried."

"You never forget anything."

"Good point."

They were drowned in silence once again. Hiyori's mother waved to Haruka again as she left the graveyard,closing the gate behind her with a small metallic clack.

"What happened in between me dying and the end?"

"A lot."

"We have at least six hours."

"It'll take that long."

"I'm up for it if you are."

So for five and a half hours, Haruka told Shintarou every excruciating detail of the time between his suicide and the end of their struggle with the snakes. Every detail, from the funny parts, like their visit to the amusement park, to the painful parts, like when Momo began crying about the suicide note that Haruka had finally given her.

"And then we went to the lab and...the rest, you're familiar with."

Shintarou was silent. Then he stood up, his ghostly form not fully pressed to the ground. The grass didn't bend under his feet.

"Are you leaving?"

"Yeah, I've got to,"Shintarou cursed under his breath. "Tell everyone I said hello and goodbye."

"I will."

"And do me a favor."

"Yeah?"

"Tell my girlfriend I love her."

Shintarou began walking away then, not waiting for Haruka's answer. Three gravestones away, his form faded, leaving nothing behind.

All Haruka could think was how he had to draw that moment, and keep it forever.


	2. Chapter 2

"Ene-chan?"Haruka popped the door to her apartment open, sniffling.

"Heya!"She swivvled around the corner on her desk chair, grinning. "Oh, you're crying..."

She stood, stepping over to him and hugging him. He buried his face in her neck, sobbing. She was startled, especially since she hadn't seen him cry in so long.

"Shh,"She tried to calm him down, running a hand through his hair. "You talked to him, didn't you?"

Haruka nodded into her shoulder, unable to speak. She leaned into him, doing her best to comfort him. It was ten minutes before he babbled out one semi-coherent sentence.

"I have to call Ayano."

"Okay, but first, you should eat something. Maybe take a nap?"

He shook his head, finally straightening up.

"I have to call her. He asked me to,"Haruka reached into his pocket, pulling his phone out with shaking hands.

"Here, give it to me,"Takane pulled it from his hands, dialling the number herself. "Hello? Ayano? Haruka - and this is gonna sound crazy- Haruka has a message from Shintarou."

It was silent for a moment before Takane handed the phone to Haruka.

"Hello? Haruka?"

"Hi, Ayano,"He said quietly.

"Takane said you saw Shintarou?"

Haruka nodded, then realized she couldn't see him and went to speak.

"Yeah,"His voice choked. "Um, he had a message for you."

"What was it?"He could hear the sound og her mouse clicking in the background.

"He said to tell you that he loves you."

"Oh,"She hesitated, her voice breaking. "Thanks, Haruka."

"Yeah,"He replied, shoving the phone back into Takane's hands.

"Evidently Haruka doesn't wanna talk- Ayano-chan? Don't cry! Please! Uh-Um-!"

Haruka had already collapsed onto the couch, lightly snoring by the time Takane calmed Ayano down. She smiled, grabbing her sketchbook and sitting down next to him. She set to drawing his game avatar asleep in the same position. God knows she'd be caught dead drawing it, but it was cute.

She was putting the finishing touches on his messy bed-hair when he rolled over, stretching. His foot almost hit her face, but she caught it in time.

"Hey, I'm down here,"Takane giggled, pushing his foot away.

"Sorry,"It was muffled, his face buried in the armrest.

She continued her job, only for him to stretch his legs over her lap, preventing her from adding the last details.

"Damnit, Harukaaaa-"She moaned, trying to move his legs from hers. "Lemme uppppp-"

"Noooo-"He replied, not bothering to raise his head.

She leaned over, laying on his back. He let out a quiet 'Oof' but was otherwise silent until he rolled the both of them off the sofa. They came up laughing.

"Hey, Ene-chan?"

"Yeah?"

"Chu,"He kissed her cheek.

Takane turned bright red, trying to laugh it off, only for him to plant one on her lips this time.

"Hey, let's go somewhere,"He said, pulling her off the floor.

"Where?"

"The base,"He tugged her along, giving her just enough time to slam the door to her apartment before dashing off.

He could run. Long ago, he wouldn't be able to move this fast if he wanted to. Now, his movements were free. Takane felt the same way, and they ran down the street next to each other as if they were children having a race.

At the base, they were greeted by Marry and Seto watching a movie. They waved, Seto's arm over Marry's shoulders.

"So they're a couple?"Seto glanced down to Marry, pointing at the television screen.

"Yes! Aren't they cute together?"

"Of course,"Seto chuckled in response.

Takane and Haruka soon joined them. Haruka again pulled his notebook from his bag and began sketching, Takane not paying attention to him at all.

He drew black hair, blown slightly to the side and messy. Then a red jacket and khacki sweatpants. Slippers, and all this was from behind. He added the white lines to the jacket's arms, then tiny blades of grass surrounding his feet. Then shadows. Then tombstones. Then the sun, and finally, he signed it.

"Summertime record."


End file.
